Mother's Day

Budget-Friendly DIY Mother’s Day Gifts

Lilac blossoms

Mother's Day is right around the corner! It is a time to celebrate the love, warmth, and care that mothers pour into our lives. A heartfelt, handmade gift can say more than anything store-bought ever could. Here are some simple, beautiful, and natural DIY Mother's Day gift ideas you can put together in just an afternoon, using ingredients you likely already have at home!

1. Salt or Sugar Scrub

Create a quick exfoliating scrub by mixing fine salt or sugar with a skin-loving oil like jojoba, almond, or marula oil. Add a few drops of essential oil (lavender, sweet orange, lemon, or patchouli are great choices) for a touch of aromatherapy. Package it in a pretty jar with a handwritten label.

Sweet Sugar Scrub

A gentle scrub for soft, glowing skin

Materials:

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 1/4 cup almond oil

• 1 Tbsp dried, ground chamomile buds (optional)

• 10-12 drops sweet orange essential oil (optional)

• 10-12 drops patchouli essential oil (optional)

Steps: Mix sugar, oil, chamomile, and essential oils in a bowl. Spoon into a small, labeled glass or PET plastic jar, seal, and tie with a ribbon. Add a label: “Massage onto damp skin for gentle exfoliation, then rinse.”

2. Soaking Salts/Bath Salts

Combine salts, dried aromatic herbs like mint or lavender, and optional essential oils to make a soothing soak. It's a simple way to give Mom a moment of pure relaxation after a long day.

Salted Flowers Foot Soak

A relaxing soak to pamper tired feet

Materials:

• 1/2 cup Epsom salt

• 1/4 cup Redmond salt

• 2-4 Tbsp dried rose petals, calendula blossoms, lavender buds

• 1 tsp colloidal oat powder (optional)

• 1 tsp oil (vitamin E, jojoba, almond, etc)

• 2 drops lavender or rose geranium essential oil (optional)

Steps: Combine Epsom salt and dried herbs into a food processor or coffee grinder and coarsely ground. Blend in the Redmond salt and optional oat powder to the coarsely ground Epsom salt and herbs. Mix in the oil and essential oil and blend well. Pour into a labeled jar, and decorate with twine. Include a note: “Dissolve 1/4 cup into a basin of warm water and soak.”

3. Floral Bath Tea Sachets

Blend dried flowers such as lavender, lilac, chamomile, and rose into muslin tea bags. These bath sachets turn an ordinary bath into a luxurious floral soak — no messy cleanup required!

Floral Bath Tea Sachets

A fragrant addition to Mom’s bath

Materials:

• Muslin tea bags

• 1 cup dried aromatic flowers or herbs (rose petals, lilac blossoms, lavender, chamomile, rosemary, mint, or basil)

• 1 cup Epsom salt

Steps: Mix flowers and salt. Loosely fill tea bags, tie tightly, and attach a label with a ribbon. Label: “Steep in hot bathwater for a spa-like soak.”

4. Aromatic Drawer or Pillow Sachets

Fill small fabric bags or reused tea bags with dried aromatic herbs like lavender, rose petals, lemon balm, cinnamon, or clove. Tuck them into drawers, closets, or under pillows to gently scent linens and clothing with natural freshness.

Aromatic Drawer Sachets

A loving scented touch for drawers or pillows

Materials:

• Fabric scraps or small cotton bags

• 1/2 cup blend of dried orange peel, chamomile, & cinnamon chips

• 1 drop Atlas cedarwood essential oil per pouch (optional)

Steps: Sew fabric into a pouch, fill about 3/4 full with dried herbs, add an optional drop of essential oil, and seal. Add a label: “Place in drawers or closet for a calming aroma.”

5. Herbal-Infused Body Oil

An infusion of aromatic herbs like peppermint, linden, licorice root, or cinnamon chips in a carrier oil creates a simple, luxurious body oil. Lightly scented and moisturizing, it's a gift of pure self-care.

Warming Herbal Massage Oil

A luxurious oil for relaxation

Materials:

• 1/2 cup jojoba or almond oil

• 2 Tbsp dried rosemary

• 2 tsp cinnamon chips

• 15 drops sweet orange essential oil (optional)

Steps: Since we are low on time, we will need to use heat to infuse the oil. Place dried herbs into a small jar, and add the oil over the herbs. Place the jar into a double boiler and gently heat over low heat for 4-6 hours with periodic stirring. Carefully remove the jar from the double boiler and dry off (you do not want to get water into the oil). Strain out the herbs from the infused oil and pour into a labeled amber glass bottle. Add a tag: “Massage onto skin for warming relaxation.”

6. Herbal Hand Salve

Infuse skin-loving aromatic herbs in a carrier oil, then blend with beeswax to create a nourishing, healing salve. It's perfect for dry hands, chapped skin, or even minor skin irritations.

Lavender-Calendula Salve

A soothing balm for dry skin

Materials:

• 1/4 cup sweet almond or apricot kernel oil

• 1 Tbsp beeswax pellets

• 1 Tbsp dried lavender buds and leaves

• 1 Tbsp dried calendula buds

• 10 drops lavender essential oil (optional)

Steps: Place dried herbs into a small jar, and add the oil over the herbs. Place the jar into a double boiler and gently heat over low heat for 4-6 hours with periodic stirring. Carefully remove the jar from the double boiler and dry off (you do not want to get water into the oil). Strain the herb-infused oil. In the double boiler, melt the beeswax, and once melted, add the herb-infused oil. Let cool slightly before adding essential oils, then stir well to evenly distribute the essential oils. Pour into tins or small jars and allow to cool until solid. Place lids on tins or jars and label.

7. Facial Toner

Take advantage of spring blossoms by crafting a gentle floral toner. Lilacs, forsythia, and other seasonal flowers can be steeped in witch hazel or a light hydrosol base for a fresh, floral mist that feels like springtime in a bottle.

Lilac Facial Toner

A refreshing toner for Mom’s skincare routine

Materials:

• 2 Tbsp vegetable glycerin

• 2 Tbsp aloe vera gel or hydrosol (i.e. rose geranium hydrosol)

• 4 oz witch hazel

• fresh lilac flowers

• additional fresh flowers (optional): calendula, violets, camellia petals, rose petals, quince blossoms, sprig of blossoming rosemary

Steps: Fill a clean 8-oz jar half to 3/4 full with the fresh flowers. Add glycerin and aloe (or hydrosol), then top with witch hazel, leaving 1-inch headspace. Infuse for 5-7 days, gently shaking daily. Strain and pour into a spritz or flip-top bottle. This has a 3-month shelf life.

8. Facial Steam Blend

Mix dried aromatic herbs and flowers such as lavender, mint, thyme, and rose petals into a jar. A handful tossed into a bowl of hot water becomes a relaxing facial steam that soothes the skin and the senses.

Botanical Facial Steam Blend

A rejuvenating steam for a spa-like glow

Materials:

• 2 Tbsp dried lavender flowers and leaves

• 2 Tbsp dried thyme

• 2 Tbsp dried lemon balm

• 2 Tbsp dried yarrow flowers and leaves

Steps: Mix herbs in a small, labeled jar. Include instructions: “Add 1 Tbsp to a bowl of steaming water, drape a towel over your head, and steam face for 5-10 minutes.” Decorate with a ribbon.

Final Thoughts

This Mother's Day, there's no better gift than something made with love and care. These simple, natural DIY creations offer not just pampering, but also a piece of your heart. Whether it's a soothing soak, a calming massage oil, or a fragrant sachet tucked into a drawer, each gift is a reminder of the beauty of slowing down and savoring each moment.

No matter which project you choose, know that the time and thought you put into it will mean the world. After all, the most treasured gifts are the ones that remind her of the love you share.